"John Rumm" wrote in message
...
IMM wrote:

"RichardS" noaccess@invalid wrote in message

of the locality. Those advocating movement towards insulation standards
common in Germany, Scandinavia and parts of the North American continent
should remember that they suffer much colder winters than the majority
of
the UK which will therefore push the environmental equilibrium towards
installation of more insulation.

Nice try, but flawed logic. The cut off point is when you don't require
a
full heating system. That is simple. Then the gains start to really add
up.

It is safe to assume you will still want
hot water, hence you still need
a boiler.

Maybe.

Yes you can fit fewer or smaller
radiators but that does not
represent much capital cost saving
(given that you can install a full
heating system for under 3K - you
may only save 1K capital outlay).

£3K please get real. In a small terraced house, yes.

You seem to be recommending
spending several times that cost in PIR foam
alone before you get onto ventilation with
heat recovery.

You can do it with PIR foam, or a mix. Using PIR foam on the outer to reduce
thermal bridging and cheaper insulation on the inside.

It may take a lifetime to recover the
capital costs in reduced energy usage.

Nonsense. With a boiler you need annual servicing, assuming you get a pro to
do it. With electricity you do not require servicing. Assuming a new build,
or an extensive renovation, it is worth going all electric as the capital
installation costs are far lower. With a superinsulated home the DHW cost
will exceed the heating cost, so having roof solar panels to fully heat, and
pre-heat, the DHW will reduce electricity running costs. Electric heating
appliances are cheap to buy and install and not annual servicing costs.

In a superinsulated home, a partial electric heating system (which will be
rarely used) and DHW backed up by solar heating will highly cost effective.

What is not really taken into account
is the cooling effect insulation can
have in hot summers, which appear to
be on the way. So, the gains,

Sorry - but this is nonsense. No amount of
insulation will have a "cooling effect".

It keeps heat out and well as in, hence a cooler house. Very simple to
understand.

More insulation will reduce the rate of
heat gain inside the house, but
will also ensure that once it has gained
the heat (which it inevitably
will) it will be harder to dissipate it.

The UK cools at night, so opening windows will disipate heat and the heat
flow also will reverve from inside to outside through the walls

Insulation to the point of not requiring a full heating system is a win,
win

Not if you reach the point of never
recovering from the environmental
impact of building the thing, during
the lifetime of the property. Not
if you never recover the capital outlay
in lower energy bills.

Stop making things up. Do some research. Many eco homes cost little extra,
if at all to build in the first place. You have to get the design right,
which is not difficult.

situation all the way. All the knowledgeable experts who write on this
subject all agree that superinsulation is well worth it.

Where "knowledgeable" = supports your point of view no doubt?

Do some research. Do some reading. Stop trying to be clever and making
things up. My piont of view is based on hard facts, not a whim of a theory.

You can generally find experts who will
support any point of view you
choose, so this is not really adding any
weight to the argument.

What a silly statement.